Read Online King of Prey: (A Bird Shifter Novel) by Mandy M. Roth - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mandy M. Roth
Ads: Link
surprised Sachin didn’t comment on the fact she was being held off the ground by Kabril. He seemed fixated on something else. Her brow furrowed. “Sachin, what’s wrong?”
His gaze met Kabril’s. “We are not alone.”
Kabril tightened his hold on her to the point she could scarcely draw in air. “K-a-b-r-i-l.”
He released her quickly, causing her to stumble. Sachin was there in an instant, steadying her. Kabril growled and gave her a slight tug, pulling her away from Sachin. The men stared at one another for what felt like eternity. Testosterone coated the air. Scared of a possible wild animal stalking them, Rayna batted them both on the arm. They were acting like idiots, so she didn’t mind stooping to scolding them. “Guys? What happened to we are not alone ? Huh? I don’t want to be the main course for a jaguar. Pull it together here.”
No sooner did the words leave her lips than tension seemed to fill the air. Suddenly, the sounds of the jungle all but halted. Her breath hitched and she took a small step towards Kabril. As silly as it sounded, he made her feel safe regardless what she might have to face.
“How many?” He glanced towards Sachin.
Sachin’s gaze never left the surrounding area. He shook his head slightly. “I do not know. Take Rayna to safety. I shall see to—”
Kabril scoffed. “We are in unfamiliar territory, old friend. I will not leave you to your own devices. Not when it is clear we are outnumbered.”
“Your first concern is Rayna,” said Sachin. “I am aware of as much.”
“Yes, but if we do not eliminate the threat then…”
Rayna stared at Kabril, noting his speech was different once again, as was Sachin’s. “Guys?”
“Worry not, ta’konima, ” Kabril whispered, putting his body before hers. He kissed her tenderly. “All will be well.”
She arched a brow, wondering what the hell it was he’d just called her. From the sound of Sachin’s sharp intake of breath, she had a funny feeling it meant something significant. Her luck, he’d just insulted her in the worst way and she was oblivious.
He crouched a bit, taking her with him. Sachin followed suit. Kabril motioned with his head towards the far left of the river. “They are coming in from that way as well.”
Sachin nodded, appearing to have already caught on to the fact they were being surrounded. Rayna was still lost. “Wait? Jaguars are now hunting us in a pack? I thought they weren’t ones to travel in groups. I thought—”
Her words were cut short by the sudden sound of something swooshing overhead. Kabril tossed his body over hers, taking her down and pressing her to the ground. He shouted something to Sachin, but the noise level reached proportions that drowned him out. Besides, she didn’t think it was English.
As quickly as Kabril’s weight had landed on her, it was ripped off. Rayna sat up fast, pushing to her feet. The sound that could only be described as hundreds of birds flapping their wings ended. The strangest part of it all was that Sachin and Kabril were missing, leaving her alone on the edge of the river.
“Kabril?” She turned in a slow circle, doing her best to pierce the darkness with nothing more than her eyes. It was a blackness like she’d never experienced before and she’d spent her fair share of time outside of big cities. Still, this was different. Eerie even. She felt threatened, though she wasn’t sure exactly what was doing the threatening. The men with her weren’t really big on sharing, and at the moment she desperately wanted them each back by her, even if it meant being stared at funnily by them. “Sachin?”
Fear gripped her.
“Kab-ril?” she asked, her voice cracking under the weight of her nerves. “This isn’t funny. You two have the strangest sense of humor. Kabril?”
Nothing.
Rayna wasn’t sure how much time passed but she knew it was a significant amount. Something rustled in the brush to her left and she froze.
His gaze met Kabril’s. “We are not alone.”
Kabril tightened his hold on her to the point she could scarcely draw in air. “K-a-b-r-i-l.”
He released her quickly, causing her to stumble. Sachin was there in an instant, steadying her. Kabril growled and gave her a slight tug, pulling her away from Sachin. The men stared at one another for what felt like eternity. Testosterone coated the air. Scared of a possible wild animal stalking them, Rayna batted them both on the arm. They were acting like idiots, so she didn’t mind stooping to scolding them. “Guys? What happened to we are not alone ? Huh? I don’t want to be the main course for a jaguar. Pull it together here.”
No sooner did the words leave her lips than tension seemed to fill the air. Suddenly, the sounds of the jungle all but halted. Her breath hitched and she took a small step towards Kabril. As silly as it sounded, he made her feel safe regardless what she might have to face.
“How many?” He glanced towards Sachin.
Sachin’s gaze never left the surrounding area. He shook his head slightly. “I do not know. Take Rayna to safety. I shall see to—”
Kabril scoffed. “We are in unfamiliar territory, old friend. I will not leave you to your own devices. Not when it is clear we are outnumbered.”
“Your first concern is Rayna,” said Sachin. “I am aware of as much.”
“Yes, but if we do not eliminate the threat then…”
Rayna stared at Kabril, noting his speech was different once again, as was Sachin’s. “Guys?”
“Worry not, ta’konima, ” Kabril whispered, putting his body before hers. He kissed her tenderly. “All will be well.”
She arched a brow, wondering what the hell it was he’d just called her. From the sound of Sachin’s sharp intake of breath, she had a funny feeling it meant something significant. Her luck, he’d just insulted her in the worst way and she was oblivious.
He crouched a bit, taking her with him. Sachin followed suit. Kabril motioned with his head towards the far left of the river. “They are coming in from that way as well.”
Sachin nodded, appearing to have already caught on to the fact they were being surrounded. Rayna was still lost. “Wait? Jaguars are now hunting us in a pack? I thought they weren’t ones to travel in groups. I thought—”
Her words were cut short by the sudden sound of something swooshing overhead. Kabril tossed his body over hers, taking her down and pressing her to the ground. He shouted something to Sachin, but the noise level reached proportions that drowned him out. Besides, she didn’t think it was English.
As quickly as Kabril’s weight had landed on her, it was ripped off. Rayna sat up fast, pushing to her feet. The sound that could only be described as hundreds of birds flapping their wings ended. The strangest part of it all was that Sachin and Kabril were missing, leaving her alone on the edge of the river.
“Kabril?” She turned in a slow circle, doing her best to pierce the darkness with nothing more than her eyes. It was a blackness like she’d never experienced before and she’d spent her fair share of time outside of big cities. Still, this was different. Eerie even. She felt threatened, though she wasn’t sure exactly what was doing the threatening. The men with her weren’t really big on sharing, and at the moment she desperately wanted them each back by her, even if it meant being stared at funnily by them. “Sachin?”
Fear gripped her.
“Kab-ril?” she asked, her voice cracking under the weight of her nerves. “This isn’t funny. You two have the strangest sense of humor. Kabril?”
Nothing.
Rayna wasn’t sure how much time passed but she knew it was a significant amount. Something rustled in the brush to her left and she froze.
Similar Books
